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% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
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..,»:%$§@@ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ AND A GIFT SHOP. §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ CONSIDERED POOR. @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ SOME ARE SHATTERED. @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ %% @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ %% %% @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ »»»»»»» % % »»»»»»» §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ %% %% @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ %% @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ LIT FROM BEHIND. §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ %% @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ %% %% @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ »»»»»»» % % »»»»»»» §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ %% %% @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ %% @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ FLOOR. @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# BECOME STILL. #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ %% @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ %% %% §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ »»»»»»» % % »»»»»»» @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ %% %% @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# %% #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER @@§$%:»,..
.,»:%$§@@# THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK #@@§$%:»,.
..,»:%$§@@ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND @@§$%:»,..
...,»:%$§@ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE @§$%:»,...
....,»:%$§ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? §$%:»,....
...,»:%$§@ @§$%:»,...
..,»:%$§@@ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. @@§$%:»,..
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